Two killed in Alton head-on crash: Man,woman pronounced dead at scene, as well as two dogs in car

Wednesday

Feb 6, 2013 at 3:15 AMFeb 6, 2013 at 2:13 PM

ALTON — A man and a woman were killed in a two-vehicle head-on crash on Route 28 at approximately 5:05 p.m. Tuesday.

By Liz Markhlevskayalmark@fosters.com

ALTON — A man and a woman were killed in a two-vehicle head-on crash on Route 28 at approximately 5:05 p.m. Tuesday.

While police did not provide names for the deceased on Tuesday, Police Chief Ryan Heath said both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene. The victims were identified Wednesday as Ferenc Nagy, 50, of Gilmanton, who was driving his Chevrolet pickup truck southbound, and Mary Lovasco, 54, of Mirror Lake, who was driving her Chevrolet Impala northbound.

Fire and rescue officials had to use extrication tools to remove both bodies from the vehicles.

There were no passengers in either vehicles, but two dogs in the back of the woman's car described by Heath as a pit bull mix and a Labrador mix were also killed.

Heath said this “is one of the hardest impacts I've ever seen in my career.”

“This is a horrific crash,” he said.

The crash occurred about one-half mile north of Quarry Road. Heath said it appears the woman was driving a maroon Chevrolet Impala north, and the man silver Chevrolet pickup truck south on Route 28 when the accident occurred.

Heath said there were no signs of any braking by either of the drivers, and both vehicles were likely traveling at least 55 mph, which is the speed limit on that road.

“I don't think anyone would have survived this,” he said.

Heath said reckless driving doesn't appear to be a factor in the collision, which occurred near the middle of the highway.

He said the Belknap County Technical Accident Reconstruction team will use a GPS unit to diagram the scene and pinpoint the exact location of the collision.

A medical examiner was on scene Tuesday evening to examine the drivers and pronounce them deceased. Heath said an autopsy has been scheduled for this morning. As standard procedure for autopsies, a toxicology report will be made, but Heath said Tuesday it doesn't appear alcohol or drugs were factors in the accident.

Heath said so far, there is no clear cause to the accident, and there were few eyewitnesses to the crash, despite Route 28 being busy with traffic around 5 p.m. Tuesday.

According to Heath, while there were other vehicles in the area when the accident occurred, most drivers were paying attention to their own driving, and did not see an indication that a head-on collision was about to occur.

“It happened so suddenly,” said Heath, who said there was no screeching of brakes described by witnesses. “There was no indication — it's just 'smack,' and it happened.”

The road leading up to the crash site was closed for approximately a mile and a half in each direction until after 9 p.m.

Police are expected to release the names of those killed in the crash later today.